Moving Forward
by Jailynn5
Summary: What would've happened if Shane and Rick's hostility did not lead to the death of Shane; but, instead they found themselves trying to raise a newborn together, in a world gone to shit? Following Lori's death, how will the two handle moving forward without her? Can the former best friends rekindle their friendship, or will it forever be burdened by the unknown paternity of Judith?


Chapter One: Lori's Gone…

(Season 3 - Episode 4, "Killer Within")

* * *

Shane stared down at the pool of blood in front of him, in as much shock as Rick, Daryl, and Glen to see what remained of T-Dog's ripped apart body, and Carol's abandoned hair wrap.

He clenched his eyes closed, trying to hold his frustration in. _If only he would have just shot that piece of shit prisoner in the first place, than none of this would have happened!_

He opened his eyes and stared directly at Rick, with another urge of anger swarming inside of him.

_Deep breath_, he thought, and cracked his neck to let it go.

"We gotta find Lori man" he said, his eyes stone cold.

Rick glazed back at him, as his hand was already clenching the door handle.

He didn't even have to speak, he already knew what was running through Shane's mind, and he was right.

If Rick would have just executed the prisoners from the beginning, T-Dog and Carol would be with them, _still standing_.

Rick kicked the rusty door open and the four of them entered back into the yard, now filled with dozens of lifeless walkers laid out all over the ground.

"Have you seen the others?" Rick yelled out to Hershel and Beth, still enclosed by the same caged in staircase they ran into in the beginning.

"No. Nothing yet" Hershel answered.

Rick spun in a circle trying to figure out his next step; however, Shane was already walking towards the other metal door, when suddenly it opened from the inside.

Both he and Rick heard a faint cry as the door opened, and the two of them looked at each other in uncertainty.

Maggie appeared, holding a newborn in her blood-filled arms. Her face was trembling, and her eyes were wide.

Shane's face softened as Maggie approached them, but his eyes franticly searched behind her for Carl and Lori.

Then Carl appeared, his hat tilted just above his eyes, and his face emotionless.

Shane's eyes continued searching, even after the rusty door slammed shut behind Carl. _She had to be coming out next, she had to_!

Rick swallowed hard, as a nauseating wind blew through his entire body, and suddenly he felt as if he couldn't breathe.

"Lo-Lori?" Rick gasped.

Maggie shook her head no, as the tears streamed down her face.

Carl faced his father, he had no idea what to say, all he knew was he just shot his mother, the woman that gave birth to him, and the woman that protected and loved him, his _mother_.

"Wh-what do you mean no?" Shane stuttered, as he searched Maggie's face for answers, "Wh-where is she? Lori! LORI!" he shouted uncontrollably.

"I- I'm so sorry" Maggie streaked through her crying.

Rick collapsed to the floor, like the ground just shook beneath him.

"Ca- Carl, No… no, no, no, no, no" he whimpered in disbelief.

A single tear rolled down Carl's cheek as he watched his father crumble beside him.

Shane's eyes filled with tears, and as everything began spinning, he glanced over at his former best friend, who was completely on the floor.

He should have felt sympathy for him, he should have felt remorse for him; but he didn't. All he could feel in that pulsating moment was anger, complete and utter anger.

Everything he ever believed about Rick not being capable to protect Lori, was finally justified… she was _gone, _and if Rick wasn't always so busy playing nice cop, and would have gotten rid of the low-life prisoners in the first place, and Lori would still be alive!

Suddenly all Shane could hear was ringing in his ears. Everything around him was spinning, faster and faster. He gritted his teeth as the rage flooded within him.

He grabbed the top of his head, in efforts to stop the ringing, and paced around in an aimless circle until he was close enough to the prison wall. He swung his fist with everything he had, and cracked it against the hard stone.

In an instant his knuckles split open, and blood pooled over his hand. He didn't care though, he couldn't even feel it, he couldn't feel anything.

Unexpectedly, just as Rick's had done, Shane's legs gave out below him, and his entire body crashed to the floor.

"N-no… LORI!" He screamed towards the closed door again, his face soaked from tears.

* * *

**A/N:** _Hi everyone! So I thought about this a couple of days ago, and thought that it would have been pretty interesting if Shane hadn't been killed off in Season 2, and was actually there when Lori died, so I decided to write this. Please let me know your thoughts, and whether or not this seems interesting. I would like to continue, and go through all the events that happened, and some others; however, I want to throw Shane into the mix, and develop him into the character I think he should have become. Please review!_


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